


Scorcher

by VidalsQueen



Series: HZD Week 2018 [3]
Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: machine hunting, scorcher, the frozen wilds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-26 17:49:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13862784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VidalsQueen/pseuds/VidalsQueen
Summary: Day 3 of HZD Week.Weapons Machines





	Scorcher

The tall grass hid Aloy, but she wondered if it would be enough. She had never seen a machine move like the ones in Banuk territory. They were bigger, faster and much more deadly than anything in the Sundom. The Cut was proving to be a far deadlier place than she had imagined. 

The machine pacing in front of Aloy was heavily armored and reminded her of a Sawtooth in height and build. But she’d seen this beast in action upon entering The Cut. She knew the mounted cannon held as much firepower as that of a Thunderjaw and that its claws emitted blaze with every strike. The Scorcher prowled through the clearing, making metallic, guttural noises. It left a trail of fire with every step it took. 

Aloy flipped on her focus and scanned the metal beast. Instinct told her the machine would be susceptible to chill, and the focus confirmed it. While the machine was heavily armored, it held the same weak points as any other machine, the mounted cannon, the armored blaze canisters on each of its shoulders, and a power-cell on its lower back. She pulled her sling from its holster on her hip and the freeze bombs from her pouch. These she sat in the grass ready and waiting for her initial assault. 

Taking aim on the cannon, Aloy took her shot. Her tearblast arrows didn’t do as much damage as she had hoped, but the Scorcher was still a ways away. She lined up another shot, aiming and firing quickly. Again, not as much damage as she had hoped, but the cannon was no longer stable. She slung the bow back over her shoulder and picked up her sling and freeze bombs. 

The Scorcher was closing in on her. She did the only thing she could do and ran to the other side of the clearing, moving as close to the beast as she dared, so it couldn’t take a swipe at her. As the beast roared, Aloy slid into a section of tall grass just out of sight. Her heart was pounding, her veins filling with the thrill of hunting this new predator. 

She waited for her breathing to settle and allowed her focus to pick up the Scorcher’s location. It had turned away from her. She took another steadying breath before stepping out of her cover. Loading a freeze bomb into the sling she took aim. This time, following up her shots in quick succession. When those were gone, she drew her bow again and took aim at the cannon. This time, it released. Next, she focused on the blaze canisters. As one exploded, the Scorcher roared back to life.

She needed to draw the beast away from the cannon on the ground, so she made another run for it, just barely escaping the barreling machine. Again, she slid into the tall grass, but this time the Scorcher didn’t slow. It slammed into her side, knocking her further into a small grove of trees. 

Pain lanced through her side. She knew there would be a wicked burn on her new Banuk armor. She could feel the heat of it through the thick leather and fur wrapped around her middle. She scrambled to her feet as quickly as she could and made the decision to make another run for it. But she wasn’t going to risk the tall grass again. She was going for the cannon.

As the Scorcher made its move, Aloy took a long dive, just out of reach and then she was on her feet. She pushed her body to move faster than she ever had and within seconds the cannon was in her hands. She knew she had to act quickly. She turned and fired. The mines shot into the Scorcher’s metal plating, blasting holes where Aloy’s arrows could not. And then, she finally lined up the shot she’d been waiting for. 

The power cell exploded in a rain of sparks and Aloy was forced to run again, for the momentum of the beast still had it sailing straight towards her. She spotted a ledge and jumped for it just in time to have the machine crash into the outcropping below. 

Aloy peeked over the edge, bow ready, just in case it was only knocked out. When it didn’t move after a few moments, she strapped the bow onto her back and hopped down from the ledge to strip the machine. As she did, she found something truly odd. She had thought this machine similar to a Sawtooth, but she now realized it was closer in size and form to a Ravager. The build was almost exactly the same. She was quite certain, should she return to the Hunting Lodge, she could pass off the chassis as that of a Ravager. 

Confusion set in for a moment. This was the first time she’d seen one machine so similar to another. Why would the Old Ones create two beasts of nearly the same design, but severely amplify one and not the other? Were the Ravagers the product of a failed execution for this beast, or were these beasts different in some way that she wasn’t seeing? What purpose did the Ravager serve with these beasts in existence? 

Maybe she would find the answers to these questions while she was out here. 

Something new to discover.


End file.
